CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS 4.XI.2000

CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS

PROTOCOL No. 12TO THE CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMSRome, 4.XI.20002 ETS 177 – Convention for the Protection of Human Rights (Protocol No. 12), 4.XI.2000The member States of the Council of Europe signatory hereto,Having regard to the fundamental principle according to which all persons are equal beforethe law and are entitled to the equal protection of the law;Being resolved to take further steps to promote the equality of all persons through thecollective enforcement of a general prohibition of discrimination by means of theConvention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms signed at Romeon 4 November 1950 (hereinafter referred to as “the Convention”);Reaffirming that the principle of non-discrimination does not prevent States Parties fromtaking measures in order to promote full and effective equality, provided that there is anobjective and reasonable justification for those measures,Have agreed as follows:Article 1 General prohibition of discrimination1. The enjoyment of any right set forth by law shall be secured without discrimination on anyground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national orsocial origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.2. No one shall be discriminated against by any public authority on any ground such as those mentioned in paragraph 1.Article 2 Territorial application1. Any State may, at the time of signature or when depositing its instrument of ratification,acceptance or approval, specify the territory or territories to which this Protocol shall apply.2. Any State may at any later date, by a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of theCouncil of Europe, extend the application of this Protocol to any other territory specified inthe declaration. In respect of such territory the Protocol shall enter into force on the first dayof the month following the expiration of a period of three months after the date of receipt bythe Secretary General of such declaration.3. Any declaration made under the two preceding paragraphs may, in respect of any territoryspecified in such declaration, be withdrawn or modified by a notification addressed to theSecretary General of the Council of Europe. The withdrawal or modification shall becomeeffective on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of three monthsafter the date of receipt of such notification by the Secretary General.4. A declaration made in accordance with this article shall be deemed to have been made inaccordance with paragraph 1 of Article 56 of the Convention.5. Any State which has made a declaration in accordance with paragraph 1 or 2 of this articlemay at any time thereafter declare on behalf of one or more of the territories to which the declaration relates that it accepts the competence of the Court to receive applications fromindividuals, non-governmental organisations or groups of individuals as provided by 3 ETS 177 – Convention for the Protection of Human Rights (Protocol No. 12), 4.XI.2000Article 3 Relationship to the ConventionAs between the States Parties, the provisions of Articles 1 and 2 of this Protocol shall beregarded as additional articles to the Convention, and all the provisions of the Conventionshall apply accordingly.Article 4 Signature and ratificationThis Protocol shall be open for signature by member States of the Council of Europe whichhave signed the Convention. It is subject to ratification, acceptance or approval. A memberState of the Council of Europe may not ratify, accept or approve this Protocol withoutpreviously or simultaneously ratifying the Convention. Instruments of ratification,acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.Article 5 Entry into force1. This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of aperiod of three months after the date on which ten member States of the Council of Europehave expressed their consent to be bound by the Protocol in accordance with the provisions of Article 4.2. In respect of any member State which subsequently expresses its consent to be bound by it,the Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of aperiod of three months after the date of the deposit of the instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval.Article 6 Depositary functionsThe Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify all the member States of theCouncil of Europe of:a any signature;b the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval;c any date of entry into force of this Protocol in accordance with Articles 2 and 5;d any other act, notification or communication relating to this Protocol.In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed thisProtocol.Done at Rome, this 4th day of November 2000, in English and in French, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy which shall be deposited in the archives of the Council ofEurope. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall transmit certified copies toeach member State of the Council of Europe.